


On How To Catch A White Chameleon

by Stefanyeah



Category: Muse
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Mutants, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-23
Updated: 2011-04-23
Packaged: 2017-12-26 21:51:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/970668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stefanyeah/pseuds/Stefanyeah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where some people are different, there have to be those who protect the humans from the mutants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, the first story for the help_japan auction. This is for [](http://ashamedbliss.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://ashamedbliss.livejournal.com/)**ashamedbliss**   . I hope you enjoy it as much as she did. And I won't say more lest I spoil something.

Dominic sat in the shabby pub and stared into his glass. As always, Matthew had brought a feeble excuse and had buggered off to fuck knows where, leaving his partner on his own. Dominic looked up and noticed a small woman, hair dark, short and messy; eyes sparkling in vibrant blue.

She was somewhat familiar, but then, most women he had ended up in bed with over the last years had been somewhat familiar, something about them connecting with him. He couldn't pin point it down, though.

He heard her talking to someone at the bar, the world 'Protector' falling a few times. Dominic sighed and downed his whiskey. He wondered if he should leave before someone came up to him and engage him in a conversation that ended in the other accusing their neighbour of being a freak. After all, said neighbour always slept till midday and listened to rock music all day. _Loudly_. This couldn't be normal, human behaviour, could it?

When Dominic looked up again, though, the woman he had noticed before stood next to his table already. She smiled.

"May I sit down?"

Dominic grunted, but eventually nodded and pointed at the seat on the bench next to him. At least she was pretty, so maybe she'd turn out as a groupie, not as a denunciating neighbour.

"So, I heard you're a Protector," she said.

Dominic nodded. He stared into his empty glass. The woman followed his eyes and turned to the bar, waving and pointing at the empty glass. The bartender nodded and hurried to fill a new one. It stood in front of Dominic within a minute's time.

He nodded his thanks and turned towards the woman. "Call me Dom."

She smiled. "Milly, pleased to meet you."

Dominic nodded again and lifted his glass towards her. "You should order something, too," he offered. "I pay, of course."

Milly shook her head. That was another strange thing about the women he had hooked up with over the previous five or six months. Many of them didn't drink any alcohol. He wondered if he had missed some kind of new trend or fashion between young women.

"No, thank you for the offer." She leant forward, revealing a good view into her cleavage. "So, Dom, what's it like, being a Protector?" she asked, her eyes wide with what seemed to be curiosity and excitement.

Dominic shrugged. "It's… difficult. You see a lot of exciting things. But often, it's exhausting." he sighed and downed half of his glass.

"What is your task, actually?" Milly asked. "I never really knew what Protectors do."

"We find and eliminate those freaks," Dominic answered.

"But isn't that cruel?"

Dominic shook his head. "They could easily become a threat, we need to protect ourselves from them before it's too late."

"But surely they aren't yet," Milly said. "Not all of them."

"A freak is a freak," Dominic answered and frowned at the woman. "Do you know one of them?"

"Do you think I'd tell you if I did?"

"It'd be your duty."

Milly pouted. "I don't know anyone."

Dominic sighed and rubbed the palms of his hands over his eyes. He was tired. When had been the last time he had been able to really relax? The short one night stands in each new city couldn't provide the calm reassurance of a constant partner that he sometimes was longing for.

"You're a good friend," he eventually said.

"Are you implying I'm lying?" Milly hissed.

"I beg your pardon," Dominic answered. He might have been looking for a constant partner, but that didn't mean he wouldn't cling to each offered, warm body. "This life, it isn't easy and cuts into one's social abilities. After a while you lose the ability to trust even the person closest to you."

Milly dipped her head, accepting the apology. "Have you got a person close to you?"

Dominic shook his head. "Only my partner, you know, work-wise."

"You must be a lonely man, Dom," Milly said and put her hand on his arm.

Dominic shrugged and allowed his head to droop to her shoulder. She turned her head, smiling and catching his lips in a chaste kiss.

"Your room?" she asked.

Dominic nodded and rose, pulling Milly with him. The went upstairs, entering one of the shabby rooms of the pub. Milly looked around, taking in the two beds and the weaponry scattered over one of them.

"Where's your partner?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be close to each other in case something happens?"

Dominic shrugged. "He's never around at night, don't know where he buggers of to. Guess he has his own ways to find release."

Milly nodded. She sighed and let her eyes wander through the room once again. She nodded and jerked her head towards the door in the back of the room. "I think I need the bathroom."

Dominic nodded and sat down on the bed. "Don't expect too much from it though."

Milly sniggered. "I'm used to filthy rooms."

She disappeared into the tiny bathroom and Dominic heard water running. He fell back onto the bed and closed his eyes, waiting for her to return. After a while, a door clicked open and careful footsteps advanced on him.

Not moving, Dominic waited for Milly's next action, wondering what she might be planning. Her footsteps stopped next to the bed and after a brief moment, fingers were brushed gently over Dominic's cheek. He frowned, something had changed in her touch. He opened his eyes and was met with bristling blue eyes, framed by messy, black hair.

And he finally knew who Milly had reminded him of.

"Matthew!" he shouted and sat up, pushing his partner away from him. "What the fuck?" He looked around, finding the room to the bathroom open, but the rest of the room empty bar himself and his partner. "Where's Milly?"

"Here," Matthew answered and rose from the floor. "I'm her."

Horrified, Dominic watched how Matthew's angular features grew smoother, his lips gaining volume and colour until Milly was looking at him again. Dominic squinted at Matthew's bed and darted forward, seizing one of the guns.

He swivelled around, pointing the gun at Matthew, and hissed, "You're a fucking shapeshifter."

Matthew nodded. "Yes."

"You're one of _them_!" Dominic shouted. He pointed the gun at Matthew, who still hadn't moved. Dominic thought about the past months and his quota in hunting down those freaks. He frowned. "You were sabotaging my work!"

"Only the harmless," Matthew admitted. He followed the jerk of Dominic's gun and sat down on the bed.

"By letting Object Felony1 escape?"

"I didn't let him escape," Matthew answered. "We want to see him locked up as much as you do. He's nothing but trouble for both sides."

"Do you have a code?"

"Dominic…"

"Do you have a code?" Dominic repeated his question. He stepped closer to the bed and pressed the barrel against Matthew's temple.

The shapeshifter nodded.

"What is it?"

"Dominic, I…"

"Tell me, _freak_!"

Matthew winced and squeezed his eyes shut. "If I tell you my code, will you let me explain?"

"What is there to explain?" Dominic snapped and shoved his gun harder against Matthew's temple.

Sighing, Matthew opened his eyes again to stare at Dominic. "Why I haven't killed you yet, for example."

Dominic snorted and lifted his hand to hit the side of the gun against the side of Matthew's face. The blow sent Matthew falling sideways.

"I should execute you, just for this statement," Dominic hissed.

"Dominic, please. Just… listen to me, you can execute me afterwards if you want, but please let me explain myself," Matthew pleaded.

"Fine. So, who of those freaks are you?"

Matthew lifted his hands, wrists turned upside for Dominic to see. His skin lost it's colour until the paleness had turned into a luminous white. Black ink appeared on the wrists, forming the lines of a far too familiar tattoo.

"You're kidding me," Dominic pressed out, staring at the mark.

Matthew shook his head. "No, the reason why you, or any other Protector, never found Oculocutaneous is because I'm right in your middle, obscuring any traces of myself."

Dominic climbed onto the bed and pressed the gun between Matthew's eyes. "Then why do you reveal yourself now? You know every Protector's order is to bring you to the General right away."

"I can't go on like this," Matthew answered. "I can't lie to you any longer."

Dominic snorted. "Guilty conscience?"

"Yes, among other things," Matthew admitted and pulled his head back to lessen the pressure the gun applied to his skull.

"So what's your purpose?" Dominic asked, allowing Matthew to escape from the gun's touch for the moment. "Are you supposed to kill me?"

Matthew shrugged. "The opinions differ. Some say yes, you and the Protectors should be killed. Others would prefer to, well, open your eyes. Make you see that most of us just want to live their lives in peace."

Dominic snorted, his gun darting forward again. "And what do _you_ want?"

"I won't kill you," Matthew answered without any hesitation.

Dominic clenched his jaw. "I will do my work."

"Dominic, come on!" Matthew exclaimed. "Are you blind? Have you never thought that maybe killing a boy just because his skin is blue has no justification at all?"

"Are you implying that the General is unjust and doesn't know what she orders?" Dominic hissed.

"Yes," Matthew answered. "She's just a human. There is nothing perfect about her."

Another blow with the gun sent Matthew's head colliding with the pillow again. Before he could react or sit up again, Dominic had straddled him and pressed the gun between Matthew's eyes, the free hand pressing down on Matthew's throat.

"I should execute you just because of this blasphemy."

"Then why haven't you already?" Matthew retorted. "What stops you? I told you, if this is what you want, go on, kill me, I won't fight you."

Dominic's finger twitched on the trigger. He knew he should kill the freak in front of him, or at least knock him out and fulfil his orders. But he hesitated. He stared at the creature in front of him, suddenly understanding why he was called Oculocutaneous after the form of albinism that effected both skin and eyes.

Red eyes stared back at him, framed by messy hair that was as luminously white as Matthew's skin.

"You have doubts yourself," Matthew said, calmly.

"Shut up," Dominic hissed.

"No, I won't," Matthew retorted. "You have doubts. You don't want to go around killing people when you can see that all they do is struggle to get through life. When you see that they're not different from you, when they often have found a way of co-existing before you come along to tear them out of it, shatter their life and those of their closest."

Dominic shook his head, feeling his hold on the gun loosen, only barely keeping the weapon in his hands.

"And you don't want to kill me," Matthew said, voice still calm.

"What have you done to me?" Dominic whispered.

"Nothing."

"Lies!" Dominic shouted and tightened his hold on the gun again. "You implanted something in my mind!"

"Dominic, I'm an albino with the ability to shapeshift. I don't implant things in other people's mind. You are doing the thinking all on your own. Don't blame me for your own thoughts."

Dominic shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and staring at the shapeshifter beneath him. This was Oculocutaneous, he reminded himself, the mutant that was top position on every wanted list since years. Dominic couldn't remember any of those freaks being searched for with as much insistence and fierceness as this man was.

"What am I going to do with you?" he whispered.

Matthew shrugged. "I guess I'm your prisoner. Decide."

"I have to execute you."

"Then do it already!" Matthew shouted and pushed himself up, throwing Dominic onto his back. He jabbed his thumb against his chest. "Stop talking about it and DO IT!"

Dominic lifted his gun, weakly aiming at Matthew. His eyes swept over Matthew's white hair and white skin, even his lips were white, the only contrast provided by red eyes. Dominic swallowed and the gun slipped from his hands, landing on the mattress with a dull thud.

"I can't…"

Matthew smiled and brought his hand forward. Dominic flinched when it touched his cheeks, gently brushing over his skin. He stared at Matthew's face advancing, luminous eyelids only barely obscuring the red irises behind them.

Soft, strangely familiar lips brushed over Dominic's.

"What are you doing?"

Matthew leant back and smirked. "Why did you think I turned into a woman almost each night?"

"You…"

"I want you," Matthew purred, kissing along Dominic's jaw, "as a friend, as a lover, partner."

"But…" Dominic objected weakly, not quite knowing what he was objecting.

"I can turn into anything you like if you don't want me like this," Matthew offered.

"Well, there's this fantasy I've got since a while…" Dominic admitted. He noticed his hands had moved to stroke over Matthew's sides.

"Yes?" Matthew asked and started unbuttoning Dominic's shirt, kissing the skin that was revealed.

Dominic sighed and lifted his hands to grip into Matthew's hair. He was surprised at it's softness, like silk sliding through his fingers.

"It's silly, and besides…" Dominic groaned, Matthew's escapades during the previous weeks had provided him with the knowledge of how Dominic's body reacted to something like a tongue wrapped around his nipples. He tightened his hand in Matthew's hair and yanked his head up. "Who says we're going to be shagging again?"

Smirking, Matthew traced Dominic's hard on with a finger. "This," he purred and licked a wet stripe over Dominic's throat. "Tell me your fantasy. Let me fulfil it."

"Well, I…" Dominic stuttered and shook his head. "No, this is silly."

He pushed Matthew backwards, crawling to straddle the shapeshifter.

"Tell me, Dominic," Matthew ordered, softly, wrapping his legs around Dominic's waist and reaching down to open Dominic's belt.

"I want to shag myself," Dominic blurted out.

Matthew froze in his attempts to undress Dominic and blinked before bursting out in a loud laugh.

"That's why I never told someone," Dominic growled and grabbed Matthew's wrists, pressing them onto the mattress next to Matthew's hips.

The shapeshifter bit his lips and shook his head.

Dominic watched how Matthew's contours shifted, his eyes slowly losing their red colour to turn grey while his skin, hair and lips gained colour. It only took a few blinks of his eyes and Dominic felt as if he was looking into a mirror.

He swallowed.

"Just a question, Matthew Bellamy…"

"Is me," Matthew answered. "It's my real name."

"Why didn't the General recognise it when you signed up?"

"Because she hunted me and my parents under a false name."

"Your parents, are they…?" Dominic bit his tongue. If the General had hunted Matthew and his parents and Matthew was alive and on his own it could only mean…

"Let's not talk about them, please," Matthew said.

Dominic nodded and allowed his gaze to sweep over Matthew's body. He rose an eyebrow and whistled, dragging his hands over Matthew's chest and abdomen.

"My, am I gorgeous."

Matthew winked and writhed underneath Dominic's touch, arching up. "You are," he moaned and opened his eyes, hands rising to tear at Dominic's clothing. "Let me see you," he whined.

Dominic nodded and tugged his shirt out of his trousers, yanking it over his head and throwing it to the ground. He slid from the bed and wiggled out of his trousers before hurriedly crawling onto the bed and onto Matthew's body again.

He buried one hand in the hair at the back of Matthew's head, pulling it back and forcing Matthew to expose his throat to him. Dominic dipped his head and placed his mouth on Matthew's Adam's apple, feeling it jump and vibrate through Matthew's swallows and hums.

He lifted his head, observing his own features twisted in pleasure and need, heard his own voice moan and softly beg.

"Give me your own voice," Dominic commanded and reached down between Matthew's legs.

Matthew lifted his head to look at Dominic's head, a moan falling from his lips.

Dominic smirked. Strange as it was seeing himself moan with Matthew's voice, it worked as a strong aphrodisiac. He moved his wrist, eliciting more moans and begs from Matthew. He felt Matthew's legs opening wider, hands slipping over his own, sweaty arms.

"Please, Dominic," Matthew pleaded.

Dominic let go of Matthew's hair and moved his hand to tap against Matthew's lips. They parted and Dominic slipped them into Matthew's mouth, watching how his spitting image sucked his fingers, lapping at the digits and curling his tongue around them.

"You like that, don't you?" Dominic asked and made to remove his fingers, but Matthew's left hand shot up and his fingers curled around Dominic's wrist, keeping his hand were it was. He slid his hand over Dominic's, his own fingers finding their way into his mouth.

Matthew drew the fingers deeper in, wrapping them in saliva and eventually pulled them away, leading their joined hands down to his spread legs. Dominic swallowed and stared at their hands, Matthew's fingers shaking just the tiniest bit. He looked up again.

"Do you really want this?"

Matthew nodded. "Yes, please, just push inside."

Dominic nodded and pressed their fingers against Matthew's opening, slowly increasing the pressure until their tips had breached the tight ring of muscle. Matthew threw his head back and whimpered, and Dominic was almost prepared to pull out again, but Matthew gave no sign that he should do so, his own fingers remaining where they were.

Following a sudden, sadistic, impulse, Dominic pushed further in, two of his and two of Matthew's fingers spreading the lithe body open. Matthew's whimpers grew in volume, his hands clawing over Dominic's shoulders and arms, but still no sign of wanting to stop was shown.

Dominic pulled his fingers back and pushed them back in, matching the movement on Matthew's cock. The reaction was a louder whimper, sobbing and soft pleas.

"What do you want, Oculocutaneous?" Dominic asked. He noticed a shiver running over Matthew's body and repeated his hands' movements. "Stop or continue?"

Matthew's free hand fell to the mattress, his other hand still guided by Dominic. "Continue, please."

Dominic bent down and growled into Matthew's ear, "Has someone ever marked you?"

"You've seen my wrists," Matthew answered. "I am marked as worthless prey."

"Then let me mark you in a different way," Dominic growled and pulled their fingers out of Matthew, sinking his teeth into Matthew's shoulder at the same time. Matthew whined loudly arching up against Dominic and rubbing his hard flesh against Dominic's abdomen.

Grinning, Dominic pressed Matthew's hips down and moved his hands to spread Matthew's legs as far apart as possible. Matthew's hands moved down, brushing over his chest and belly button to eventually join Dominic's in his groin.

"Take me," he whispered, holding his legs and offering himself.

Dominic swallowed and took hold of himself, guiding himself into Matthew and only stalling when he was fully sheathed. He paused and swept his gaze over the glistening body spread beneath him, blond looks framing the tanned skin of his face, eyes squeezed shut and mouth fallen open. He pulled back and snapped his hips forward.

"Look at me," he ordered and spread his hands over Matthew's chest, rubbing his palms over hard nipples.

Matthew groaned and opened his eyes, the grey irises swallowed by black. Dominic swallowed. Did he really look this obscene when he was having sex? For all his care for a well-kept appearance, did he really look this primal and wild?

"Dominic," Matthew moaned and brought his arms up to the headboard, using it as a leverage to push himself onto Dominic.

Growling, Dominic dragged his hands down Matthew's torso, leaving scratches in his nails' wake and grabbed Matthew's hips. He picked up a fast pace, pounding unrelentingly into the body beneath. It didn't take long until he came, spilling into Matthew, only barely noticing that the shapeshifter came as well while Dominic was riding out his orgasm. He collapsed, faintly aware that Matthew pulled him closer and wrapped them into the blanket before he had drifted away.

 

 

Six days had passed since Matthew had revealed himself to Dominic. They hadn't gotten any new orders yet, and Dominic wondered if Matthew would now openly rebel against Dominic fulfilling his duties. Their whole relationship had shifted, Dominic pondered and stared into his glass of whiskey.

They hadn't have sex again. And after a good morning's thinking, Dominic had come to the conclusion that maybe, he shouldn't trust the shapeshifter. The whole scenario might have been a trick Oculocutaneous's to get Dominic to trust him. To what means, Dominic didn't know. Surely, someone like the famed Oculocutaneous had other ways to infiltrate the Forces. He already had done so, Dominic realised. It made no sense, revealing himself to Dominic.

Still, the Protector hadn't allowed himself to lose himself in Matthew again. He had handcuffed the shapeshifter to the bed each night and had slept in his own, facing away from Matthew and his gun under his pillow.

He sighed and downed his whiskey. Matthew would be in their room, like all the nights before. Waiting for Dominic to return, always hopeful, despite the rejection he knew would come.

Dominic paid and made his way upstairs, pushing the door open to just another shabby hotel room. Sure enough, he immediately found a pair of soft, pale lips pressed against his own, red eyes shining through white eyelids.

Matthew pressed himself closer to Dominic, his arms looped around Dominic's neck, lips nipping a path over Dominic's stubbly jaw.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Dominic asked and pushed his hands against Matthew's shoulders.

"Maybe?" Matthew smirked and leant his head forward.

"You just don't want me to handcuff you to the bed."

Matthew's smirk disappeared and he turned, walking to the bed and lying down. "No, I crave your touch on me," he answered while lifting his hands to the bed frame.

"Matthew…" Dominic started, but stopped. He didn't know what he wanted to say.

"What are you waiting for?" Matthew hissed. "Time to tie the freak to the bed again."

Swallowing, Dominic pulled his handcuffs out and walked to the bed, kneeling down on it and securing Matthew's hands to the bedposts.

"Why are you doing this?" Matthew asked, red eyes fixated on Dominic's face.

"I can't trust you," Dominic muttered weakly.

"Then why keep me alive and around you?" Matthew asked. "Why not just hand me over to the General?"

Dominic gnawed on his lips and averted his eyes. Those red eyes had started to haunt his dreams four days ago, demanding answers that Dominic wasn't willing to give.

"I don't know. I… I don't want you to die."

Matthew sighed and shifted. "What do you want? What do you want from _me_?"

Dominic swallowed, forcing himself to look at those demanding red eyes again. "I…"

"You know, these handcuffs don't hold me back. I can escape any time," Matthew said and Dominic watched the fingers of Matthew's right hand grow together until the hand resembled a liana that was easily pulled through the metal ring. Matthew shook the limb and the five fingers grew again.

He lifted the hand to stroke it over Dominic's cheek.

Dominic closed his eyes, Matthew's gesture far too gentle than what Dominic felt was appropriate. "Why didn't you…?"

"Escape?"

Dominic opened his eyes and nodded.

"I want you," Matthew answered. "I want to stay with you, and if it means being cuffed to the fucking bed each night, I'll do that. If you want to, I can get cuffs that restrict my shapeshifting ability. I won't break from those."

Dominic caught Matthew's hand and pushed it down to the mattress, frowning. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Can't you figure it out on your own? I've fallen for you, you twat."

 

 

Dominic woke with a start. Something was off. He turned his head and frowned over at Matthew's bed. Except that Matthew's bed wasn't there. Still frowning, Dominic turned his head and saw his own bed, empty and unslept in.

Something shifted against him and Dominic looked down to find a shock of white hair atop a face made of white skin. red irisis visible and rapidly moving underneath luminous eyelids. Matthew was nestled against Dominic, one of his hands still tied to the bedpost, the other arm holding Dominic close.

Dominic shut his eyes, visions from last night filling his head. He had given in to Matthew's luring, had taken the shapeshifter, the memories of their joint moans filling his ears. Afterwards, he had fallen asleep, too exhausted to change the bed and had pulled the shapeshifter, Matthew, closer to himself.

Matthew shifted, shuffling closer against Dominic. He frowned and blinked, sleepily, opening his eyes and staring at the chest in front of his face. He shook his head and bent it back to look at Dominic, a hopeful smile on his lips.

"You… stayed," he whispered.

Dominic nodded. "I was too tired to change the bed."

"Oh," Matthew smile faltered and he nodded, looking down.

"What did you expect me to say, Oculocutaneous?"

"I don't know," Matthew answered and slipped his bound hand free. He sat up, turning his back towards Dominic, and changed back into his black-haired persona. "Guess I'm just a hopeless fool."

He rose from the bed and started to rummage in his suitcase, collecting his clothes.

"Tell me when you need some release again and whom you want, you know I can't resist you."

Dominic watched the door click shut behind Matthew, a bitter taste in his mouth. He got dressed and waited for Matthew to leave the bathroom, but the shapeshifter didn't appear again. After an hour of waiting, Dominic left their room to collect the latest orders. He swore he could hear the bathroom door go even before the door to their room had closed.

 

 

Matthew eventually joined Dominic in the bar. He ordered some breakfast and sunk down on the bench next to Dominic with a plate of bread cheese and salami.

Dominic cleared his throat. "Matthew, look, I didn't…"

"No, I get it," Matthew answered without lifting his head. He buttered his bread, collecting some of the cheap cheese.

"I doubt you do," Dominic tried again.

"What's there to be misunderstood?" Matthew snapped and lifted his head, glaring at Dominic. "I'm just the freak you can use to let some steam off. And I know, I'm pathetic for playing along. So here you go, laugh. Come on, laugh at the pathetic freak that I am."

"No, it's not like that," Dominic said. He recoiled from Matthew's outburst and the way the shapeshifter was clinging to the knife. "I… I think I do like you. But this is hard, you need to understand, I'm a…"

"Oh, I understand perfectly well," Matthew answered and put the knife down. He picked up his slice of bread and looked at it, as if to inspect the artfulness of the cheese. "But did you even try to understand me?"

This stunned Dominic into silence. He blinked at his mug of coffee and empty plate. Did he?

"So, what's on today?" Matthew asked between chewing and reached for the file that Dominic had collected.

"17 year old girl," Dominic answered. "Empathy459, can read people's emotions. It's suspected that she might be able to develop the ability to control other people over time."

"You know that I won't allow this," Matthew said.

Dominic frowned. "So you're openly sabotaging my work now."

"No point in doing it secretly any longer, is there?"

"I have to fulfil my duty."

"So have I," Matthew said and pushed the last piece of bread into his mouth.

 

 

"Dominic!" Matthew sped up his steps to catch up with the Protector.

Dominic had wondered what to do with Oculocutaneous during his order. He could have tried to tie Matthew to the bed again, but the shapeshifter had demonstrated just how easily he could escape. In the end, Dominic had decided that it would be safer to keep him close and make sure that he didn't get the chance to sabotage anything.

"I need to do my work, and you know that," Dominic snapped.

"Look at her!" Matthew pleaded. He waved the file with the target's photo in front of Dominic's face. "What could she possibly do? And what would killing her cause?"

Dominic stopped in his tracks and glared at Matthew.

"Dominic, if you kill her, her family will hate you, will join the resistance, will spend their days in hatred."

"And if I don't do my work, I will be killed."

"They will be grateful and help you."

"Not all humans are like that," Dominic answered and started walking again.

"I'm willing to take the risk," Matthew said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And on we go with the tale of the shapeshifter and Dominic. This part is much shorter than the other one, I thought this break would fit. You'll see why. :/

Blinding light crashed against Dominic's eyes. He blinked in the otherwise dark room, barely making out the shadow of a person behind the light.

"So, you've been the traitor," the General's voice sounded.

Dominic shuddered and shook his head. "No…"

"You were helping Oculocutaneous and letting Objects escape."

Dominic shook his head again, weakly.

"Why do you still insist on protecting this freak?" her voice came coldly again. "He shot himself, if you remember correctly. He's dead, the famous White Chameleon is dead and a coward."

Dominic shut his eyes against the blinding light, but it still invaded his senses, chased away the darkness that Dominic craved. Matthew, he had succeeded in causing guilt in Dominic. They had let the family escape and just then had been faced with a group of Protectors, charging them guilty of betrayal. Without any hesitation, Matthew had yanked Dominic's gun out of it's belt and had shot himself.

Dominic shuddered and slumped, ignoring the General's question and threats. After a while, the light was switched off and the General's steps moved out of the room. Darkness fell upon Dominic.

 

Hours went by that Dominic had lost count of. The General had returned several times, haunting Dominic with questions. He didn't know what she hoped to gain from questioning him. Oculocutaneous was dead, so what sense made torturing Dominic? Was it punishment? His thoughts drifted. He didn't even know if Empathy459, Karen as he had learned, and her family were save or if they also had been caught.

The door opened again and the General's steps advanced on Dominic. He expected the light to be switched on, but instead, his bonds were released and she yanked him up.

"Move it," she hissed and pushed him towards the door.

Weakly, Dominic stumbled towards the illuminated rectangle, squeezing his eyes shut. The light hurt and Dominic was tempted to turn and run and scramble back into the dark room. The General's grip on his arms was unrelenting, though. Dominic was pushed into the daylight and dragged through familiar, cold corridors.

"General!"

The General stopped and turned towards the two excited Protectors that came running down the corridor.

"What?"

The two Protectors stopped dead and saluted, awkwardly shifting.

"What is it?" the General snapped.

"The shapeshifter, he's…" one of the Protectors stuttered. He bit his lips and looked at his colleague.

"Object Oculocutaneous, yes I know," the General said. "I jabbed the needle with ink into his wrists myself."

The Protector who had spoken swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut. "He faked his death," he rushed out. He froze, waiting with held breath for the General's reaction.

She sighed. "Of course he did."

Dominic blinked. Matthew was alive? But how? And where was he?

"Find him and bring him into my office, tie him to the chair."

Dominic almost started giggling. Not only was Matthew alive, but those fools were supposed to track him down and tie him to a chair. It was impossible to tie Oculocutaneous.

The Protectors saluted. "Yes, sir."

"What are you going to do?" the Protector who had spoken before asked, glancing at Dominic. Dominic grinned back at him.

"Setting up a trap," the General answered. "Oculocutaneous is brilliant, but he's a sentimental fool."

"Sir?"

"I doubt you'll find him, so I will make him come to me. Don't trust anyone, not even me, unless they can legitimate themselves."

Dominic's smiled faltered, while the other Protectors saluted again.

"Yes, sir."

"Sir?" the distinctly braver Protector asked.

The General turned back to him. "Yes?" she asked, voice impatient.

The Protector swallowed, but held out his hand. "Please, legitimate yourself. Sir."

The General blinked, surprised for a moment before her lips twitched upward in what resembled the ghost of a smile. "Good soldier," she said and shoved her hand into her pocket to produce the card that every Protector owned.

She handed it to the Protector who twisted it around, scanning it for any obvious signs of fraud. After a while, he handed it back. "Thank you, sir."

The General made to turn again, but once again, she was stopped by the questioning Protector.

"Sir? What makes you sure you know how this freak works? If you allow this question."

The General nodded, a grim smile appearing on her lips. "It's a personal vendetta. It was me who killed Oculocutaneous's family."

Dominic stared at her, wondering how Matthew could have fooled her that easily into giving him a place as a Protector if there was such a deep hatred between them and he was something akin to a personal prey to the General.

He was pulled forward and dragged through the corridors before the Protector could ask another question, just catching the quick order to provide a car and a driver. It only took a few more turns until they were outside and the General pushed Dominic into the back of the car, securing his wrists with handcuffs behind his back.

She grinned at him and retreated, leaving Dominic puzzled. Why did she just grin in a way that could only be described as mischievous?

She opened the co-driver's door and sat down, nodding at the driver and pointing at the gate.

The driver mumbled a "Yes, sir," and started the engine.

"Where do you want to go now, sir?" the driver asked, once they had left the gate.

The General pointed ahead. "Just follow my directions."

The driver nodded again.

About two hours and two confused men later, the General eventually ordered the driver to stop.

The engine died away and Dominic looked around, wondering which significance a wood held to Matthew or the General.

"Sir?"

Grinning, the General turned in her seat, her gun resting lightly in her hand.

"What?" the driver asked.

"Give me your gun," she ordered.

Swallowing, the driver obliged.

"And your handcuffs," she added as an afterthought.

The driver complied again and was tied to the steering wheel within a few moments.

The General shifted closer to the restrained driver and pressed her gun against his temple.

"Now, tell me, honestly. Should all freaks be executed?"

The driver swallowed. "Sir?"

The General pushed the weapon harder against the driver's temple. "Answer, and I'll know if you lie."

Dominic frowned. Could it be that one of them…?

The driver swallowed and shook his head. "Some of them , sir, not all. I've seen enough that were harmless enough."

The General leant closer, glaring at the shaking driver.

"Right, I believe you."

The driver swallowed again. "General?"

The General smirked. "I'm a genius, even if I say so myself."

"Matthew!" Dominic exclaimed, darting forward.

She turned around, grinning widely. "Dominic!"

"But I saw you shoot yourself!"

Matthew laughed, his features turning white again and shifting to the familiar, angular shape. "One of my best tricks."

"Oculocutaneous!" the driver shouted and shifted as far away as possible from Matthew.

Dominic ignored him, staring unbelievingly at the pale shapeshifter. "How?"

"Piece of flesh that looks like my head. Hurt like hell, though."

He squeezed himself through the two front seats and straddled Dominic, pressing their lips together, his hands tangled in Dominic's hair.

"I thought you were dead," Dominic managed between kisses.

"I'm sorry, I had to keep you believing I really had killed myself for maximum reliability."

Dominic nodded and shifted within his bounds. He wondered if Matthew would free him any time soon. "You said the General…"

"She was the one who killed my family, yes."

"And the part about personal vendetta?"

"It started as one, I have to be honest," Matthew answered, "but I soon enough learnt that there are more important things. I rather keep my people save than running after one pathetic woman." He kissed the tip of Dominic's nose. "I think for her it is something personal, though. Escaping her is a personal affront I now committed twice."

"How did you get her legitimation card?"

"Mugged her. Changed into the forensic scientist, went to her office and tied her to the chair," Matthew giggled. "I bet she's seething now."

"That's gonna ensure you top priority for years to follow."

"I know," Matthew answered, still grinning widely.

"You came back for me…"

"Of course. I don't leave my people behind."

"I didn't treat you well."

"No, you really didn't," Matthew retorted, one of his hands wandering behind Dominic's back and tracing the handcuffs. "Consider my trick a payback and make it up to me."

Dominic craned his neck to press his lips against the hollow in Matthew's throat. "Do you plan on letting me out of these handcuffs any time soon?" he whispered against the soft, pale skin.

Matthew shivered, but sniggered softly. "Why should I?" he asked. "I've got you right were I want you."

His hands ghosted over Dominic's greasy shirt, finding the buttons and popping them open; the faintest touch of skin on skin when Matthew's fingertips brushed over Dominic's chest.

"But how can I make it up to you when I'm tied up?"

"What do you want to do?" Matthew purred. He bent his head to nibble on Dominic's earlobe.

Dominic moaned and let his head fall back, shivering when Matthew's lips left his ears and kissed a path over his exposed throat. "I want to slide my hands underneath this jacket, caress your skin until I reach your nipples. I'd brush my palms over them."

Matthew moaned and arched his back. "Go on, what would you do then?"

"I'd kiss you, gentle at first, short pecks that have you begging for more, while I start to unbutton your jacket and peel it off you, revealing this beautiful, luminous skin."

"Yes?"

"Then I'd switch our positions, lie you down on the seat and kiss down your body, worshipping every patch of your skin. God, I love your skin. It's so soft and it positively shines. I want to cover each and every cell of your skin with my lips."

Dominic felt Matthew's hand on his cuffs twisting the chain between the metal rings and yanking impatiently. He smirked and dipped his head, licking over Matthew's Adam's apple. "And while I kiss you, lick and worship you, I'd start to unbutton your trousers, sliding them down while I move down your body, finally, reaching the place that you long to be touched above all other. I'd tease you with my lips and tongue, making you beg and promise me anything, before I finally take you in my mouth."

Matthew froze, the hand that was still in Dominic's hands yanking on the blond hair. "You would do that?" he asked, eyes wide.

Dominic nodded. "Yes. I want to suck you."

Matthew swallowed and left Dominic's lap. He turned and squeezed his upper body between the seats, grinning at the horrified driver.

"The key to the handcuffs…"

"Right pocket of my jacket," the driver murmured, trying his best not to look at the dishevelled shapshifter.

"Thank you," Matthew answered and reached for the pocket, chuckling softy at the frozen man who tried to ignore him as best as possible.

 

Dominic lay on the back seat, Matthew sprawled across him and panting softly. Dominic lifted a weak arm and put it around the softly purring shapeshifter. He glanced at the driver who seemed to have fallen into some kind of paralysis a while ago, staring straight ahead and jaw clenched.

"What are you going to do now?" Matthew asked.

Dominic shrugged. "Find a new purpose. What are you going to do?"

"Keep fighting. There's still a lot of work to be done, people relying on me."

"Can I join you?" Dominic asked. He lifted his head to get a better view on Matthew.

Matthew lifted his head, as well, smiling. "Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's it. I know, it has potential for something much bigger, for yet another epic. But it's time to bid them goodbye, as if I could, and go on to On How To Paint In Colours. If it's gonna be called like that. Wow. I have the name before I even really have started writing, that's new.  
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. :)


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